This invention relates generally to devices having displays and, more particularly, relates to a remote control having a display with multi-function electroluminescent (“EL”) segments.
Devices having EL displays are known in the art. By way of example only, PCT patent application WO 00/72638, entitled “electroluminescent display,” discloses an EL display comprised of a transparent front-electrode, rear electrodes, and a layer of electroluminescent material located between the first and second electrodes. Conductive tracks are electrically connected to the rear electrodes and supply a driving voltage for the electroluminescent material to the rear electrodes. A backplane layer is provided between the electroluminescent material layer and the conductive tracks are electrically connected to the front electrode, such that the potential difference across the electroluminescent material layer in the region of the conductive tracks is substantially zero. In this way, when the conductive track is supplying the driving voltage to the rear-electrodes the electroluminescent material layer is not illuminated by an electric field between the conductive tracks and the front electrode. Gaps may be defined in the front electrode corresponding substantially to the location of the conductive tracks. This also prevents the voltage in the conductive tracks from illuminating the electroluminescent material layer.
It is further known to utilize such an EL display in a universal remote control of the type for controlling the operation of various appliances of various types and various manufacturers. In this regard, commonly assigned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10,410,103, entitled “Remote Control With Screen Guided Display,” discloses a universal remote control having an EL display where various segments of the EL display are independently illuminated at various times to present the user with a remote control user interface that corresponds to an activity currently being performed by the user. In particular, the segments that are individually illuminable correspond to an entire key image, e.g., an image representing a transport command such as play, fast forward, rewind, etc., and/or blocks of entire key images.
While a universal remote control having an EL display that can be selectively illuminated to provide multiple remote control user interfaces is desirable, it is seen that increasing the number of individually illuminable EL segments in the EL display also increases the overall manufacturing cost of the universal remote control. Accordingly, a need exists for a universal remote control that has an EL display that can be selectively illuminated to provide multiple remote control user interfaces and which can be manufactured in a relatively more cost effective manner.